Pirouettes

[dancingin the sun]

What is the best advice you have been given regarding doing a clean pirouette?

[MJ]

For me it is "relax your ribs"

 

It may be different for you. I focus on one correction for the whole class. Turnout, squeezing the glutes together, etc. You want to "lock in" the correction and get it to work.

 

Happy Turning!

[missvjc420]

Spot spot spot! Relax, ribs in, shoulders down, keep your weight forward on your foot, etc. So many good corrections, so little time to think about it while dancing!

[Clara 76]

I am always running around the room exhorting my adult students to smile...it seems to help because tension is certainly the enemy of turning.

 

Technically, (where would I ever begin???) there are many reasons for turns to not work so of course, I'd do better if I could see you! Basically, alignment, muscle-engagement, spotting, lift-off, rotation (turn-out), breath, and of course, the plié all must be in order.

 

Easy, no?

[olddude]

For me it is "relax your ribs"

...

For me (at least this month) it the opposite - "engage your lats". That was the key for me to integrating all the hips, abs, back, etc. corrections I've had over the least few years, into a more unified sense of holding a good alignment.

 

I expect the key is different for everyone. As usual, Clara 76 nailed it. Wish I could take some classes from her (or actually any of our excellent moderators).

[Clara 76]

Aw shucks! Thank you, olddude!!

[appleblossom]

A bit like old dude, it's different advice at different times, but focusing on correctly placing the retire leg is a big one for me at the moment. For a while there I was overwhelmed with all the things that go into a perfect pirouette, most of which I'm quite capable of doing, but when I think about them all at once, I freak out and the turn goes wonky. I find that if I pick one thing to concentrate on the rest will fall into place.

[dancingin the sun]

Thanks everyone - it is great to hear what has helped you. I really like the advice about focusing on one thing - I think my biggest one is alignment/wt over the supporting leg. We'll see how it goes -- oh yeah, and I will smile.

[Laschwen]

My favorite bit of advice came from our own Maj. Mel:

One should believe that they have every right to be up there. It helps me keep my standing leg solid; not just in pirouettes either.

 

 

Laschwen

P.S. I could still use some advice for spotting but it will likely have to come from one of my teachers. I get dizzy anyway and it might be a problem with reduced Range of Motion or it could be anything. I'll have to ask next week.